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At Merrimack Health, we are committed to pay transparency and equity. The base salary range is $80.15 to $120.23 hourly, excluding fringe benefits and potential bonuses.

Your final base salary will be determined based on your education, experience, licensure, and internal equity considerations. Offers are typically made below the top of the range to support future salary growth.

The Associate Chief Nursing Officer (ACNO) – Procedural Services is a key executive leader responsible for strategically advancing the safety, quality, and operational excellence of nursing across the organization. This executive leader has overall responsibility for planning, development, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of nursing care delivery for critical care programs/divisions for the provision of safe, high quality, clinical care system wide.

The ACNO collaborates with administrators, physicians, managers, and other providers to facilitate planning, implementation, and evaluation of strategic plans and initiatives. They will model and encourage professional practice that includes nursing autonomy, authority, accountability, and responsibility within the departments. They oversee all activities regarding development and implementation of standards of care, professional development, and quality/ performance improvement for the delivery of nursing care. They have professional responsibility for collaboration with the physician teams in multiple sub-specialties and assure the integration of interdisciplinary team members into the service lines. This position supervises managers across multiple units in several hospital locations and departments and ensures supervision across all shifts.

The ACNO Procedural Services will have twenty-four-hour responsibility and accountability for the safe and efficient operations of all aspects of the Procedural Services including the Operating Room, Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Ambulatory and Endoscopy departments as well as Maternal Child Health. The ACNO will be responsible for space planning, hiring, supervising and development of all levels of staff including assuring competence. They will be responsible for development and adherence to departmental standards utilizing AORN, AWHONN, and other professional organizations as guidance for evidence-based practice.

The ACNO serves as an essential partner in workforce development with keen focus on recruitment and retention efforts, focused on improving outcomes for patients, staff, and the broader health community. This role supports system-level Chief Nursing Officer, ensuring consistent implementation of best practices, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement in patient care delivery, safety, and service.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

+ Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for nursing practice in all procedural areas across the system.

+ Direct and coordinate work plan associated with compliance with ANCC standards, accreditation, and regulatory surveys.

+ Oversee the integration of evidence-based practices, trauma-informed care models, and regulatory compliance into daily operations.

+ Standardize nursing policies, procedures, and practice models to promote excellence in patient care and staff performance.

+ Mentor and support facility-level nursing leaders, and leads workforce planning efforts, including recruitment, retention, engagement and development strategies for nursing and clinical staff.

+ Champion the professional advancement of nurses.

+ Drive system-wide initiatives to improve quality metrics, reduce adverse events, and foster a culture of safety, engagement, and accountability.

+ Ensure consistent compliance with all federal, state, and accreditation standards including The Joint Commission, CMS, Massachusetts’ Department of Mental Health, and Massachusetts’s Department of Public Health regulations.

+ Utilize data and analytics to monitor quality and clinical performance, identify improvement opportunities, and drive accountability.

+ Lead transformational initiatives to modernize health care delivery, nursing innovation and technology adoption.

+ Analyze and control divisional financial performance.

+ Operates within the departmental budget for operations (personnel and supplies).

+ Provides input for the annual budget and capital process to support budget expenditures for their departments.

+ Involved in strategic planning for nursing across facilities.

+ Collaborate closely with executive leadership, medical staff, and other clinical departments to align nursing and quality goals with organizational priorities.

Involved in strategic planning and budgeting for nursing across facilities.

EDUCATION AND RELATED EXPERIENCE:

Required:

Master's degree in nursing (MSN) required, DNP preferred.

License/Certification:

Current, active, unencumbered RN license required.

ANCC Certification, Nurse Executive NE-BC, NEA-BC, CNOR, or equivalent leadership/clinical credentials.

ACLS required.

Experience:

+

+ + Minimum of 8 years post graduate experience with demonstrated clinical competence in the specialty area of procedural services.

+ Minimum of 5 years of leadership experience in procedural services.

+ Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate across disciplines and care settings.

+ Demonstrated success in leading quality, safety, and workforce initiatives in multi-system or system-level environment.

+ High clinical and business acumen

+ Proficiency with electronic medical record (EMR) documentation and Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).

Preferred:

+ Experience with quality improvement initiatives and change management.

+ Experience in an ANCC Magnet/Pathways multi-hospital system.

+ Experience working in a union environment.

+ Experience managing programs at multiple sites.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce.